Painters Online Logo

Login/register

Studio

Different mediums

Welcome to the forum.

Here you can discuss all things art with like-minded artists, join regular painting challenges, ask questions, buy and sell art materials and much more.

Make sure you sign in or register to join the discussions.

Hang on Studio Wall
Author
Message
michael

Michael Edwards

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 3863
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1556
Posted
I've just received an email from POL titled 'It's Good to try Different Media'. I see this regularly in the art world. Media is defined as  the communication outlets or tools used to store and deliver information or data. I think they meant 'mediums'  In art medium or mediums (plural) refers to the different materials or supplies that an artist utilizes in order to create a work of art. In painting, medium can refer to both the type of paint used (oil, acrylic, watercolour, etc) and the base or ground to which the paint is applied (canvas, wood, paper, etc). Sorry but wanted to get off my chest - does it annoy anyone else?

Edited
by Michael Edwards

Denise Cat

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 6947
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 2625
Posted
This would make me think a bit. Not that I do it often. I might automatically think because of the very untypical year we have had, when forms of communications have changed so much because of the virus, are they referring to the use of online galleries and other media to show your work. Then, is it, just an error and do they really mean mediums.
michael

Michael Edwards

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 3863
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1556
Posted
Since they go on to describe products my assumption is that they mean mediums but perhaps I have got it wrong as they are also advertising their magazines. Answers on a postcard.

Edited
by Michael Edwards

IMG_3630

Paul (Dixie) Dean

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 21438
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 6955
Posted
I find it frustrating when they use the wrong word, particularly as I an dyslexic , it causes me a bit of a problem as I then have to work out if the words are wrong or it’s my interpretation of the spelling.  Its one of those things I thing is more irritating as I would like to be able to spell correctly , the use of words like pacific instead of specific, not only written but in speech as well. Sorry to rant on .
Moi 17

Linda Wilson

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 3607
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1536
Posted
I don’t think it is the wrong word at all.  The plural of medium is media as it is a Latin word of neutral gender.  It is annoying to me when people refer to mediums or use media a a singular word.
Moi 17

Linda Wilson

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 3607
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1536
Posted
I’ve just looked it up in my Chambers dictionary and found out that both media and mediums are acceptable plurals of medium, but media is mentioned first, so therefore the word in main use.
michael

Michael Edwards

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 3863
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1556
Posted
The word 'medium' has several meanings. This is not a problem in itself, but ''medium” also has two plurals: media and mediums and the correct plural  depends on the sense of 'medium'  you are using. When medium refers to communications then it is media - when it refers to the different materials or supplies that an artist uses in order to create a work of art then it is mediums.  Mind you none of this annoys me anywhere as much as the incorrect use of the words 'sat' and 'stood' - that really does get me going.